News Releases

More than 150 students attend St. Bonaventure's annual CommDay

St. Bonaventure University hosted its annual high school Communications Day competition last month in the Dresser Auditorium of the John J. Murphy Professional Building.

This year’s theme for the “CommPetition” was “Tell the world why bullying isn’t cool.” Schools were asked to present this theme through any medium in their own original way.

Nine different area high schools attended CommDay, bringing nearly 150 students to St Bonaventure’s campus. Six of the nine schools participated in the CommPetition.

Judges Dr. Emily Sinsabaugh, vice president for university relations; Chris Michel, ’10, reporter for the Olean Times Herald; Erin Haskell, ’07, senior media planner for Crowley Webb; and Lauren Adams, ’11, producer/reporter for WICU12/WSEE in Erie, Pa., selected winners at the end of the CommPetition.

Best Presentation went to Salamanca High School; Best News Stories, McDowell High School; Best Video, North Collins; Best Presenters, Dansville High School.

Dunkirk High School won Best in Show for Video with their “Bully Get Back!” spoof on Sir Mix-A-Lot’s popular song. Best in Show for Print went to Gowanda High School’s Hunter Samuelson, who used Prezi to present her news story for the CommPetition.

Both Best in Show winners received the Bert Freed Award from The Buffalo News, an award given annually to the best scholastic publication in memory of Bert Freed, former Olean bureau chief for The News.